This means your spouse and dependent children are covered. If you have an elderly parent living with you, he or she is covered, too.
If you have a child away at college, your home is still considered his or her legal residence so your student would be covered under your uninsured motorist policy. Uninsured motorist coverage is fairly straightforward. If you were hurt by an uninsured or underinsured motorist, contact our San Francisco law firm to schedule a free consultation with an experienced lawyer.
Do you have other insurance to cover car accident injuries? The primary function of uninsured motorist coverage is to pay medical bills after a car accident with an uninsured driver. If you have good health insurance, you may not feel you need UM coverage.
But if you have a high deductible health plan and would pay a large amount of money for a hospitalization, UM might be attractive. UM is a way to cover car accident injuries without paying co-insurance, copays and health insurance deductibles.
Do you have other insurance to cover car damage? In states where uninsured motorist property damage coverage is available, you may not need it. Collision insurance will also cover damage to your car if someone else hits it, and it will cover a wide variety of circumstances, not just an uninsured driver. Does your state have a lot of drivers without insurance? Mississippi has the highest rate of uninsured drivers Mississippi A hit-and-run accident is typically defined as a car accident where the driver leaves the scene of the accident without exchanging insurance or contact information.
A hit-and-run can occur between:. A hit-and-run is generally covered under two uninsured motorist coverage types:. If your state allows UMPD coverage for hit-and-run accidents, there may be a deductible. UMPD only pays in certain cases, but it may come with a lower deductible than what you chose for a collision deductible. Stacked insurance is when you make claims on two uninsured motorist policies. Both policies must be in your name.
Some states, like Connecticut, have exceptions. States such as Georgia offer you a choice. You would make a claim under your uninsured motorist bodily injury UMBI coverage for your medical expenses and your uninsured motorist property damage UMPD coverage, if you have it, for damage to your car. Then you would file a claim with your own car insurance company under your underinsured motorist bodily injury UIMBI to cover additional expenses.
Your vehicle is parked in a public parking garage. In this hit-and-run scenario, you would file a claim under your UMPD coverage if your state allows it. In addition, UM insurance may pay out for pain and suffering as well as lost wages. Uninsured motorist claims tend to be expensive so having this coverage can be a huge benefit if you are hit by an uninsured driver. If you are carrying collision coverage your vehicle will be repaired regardless of whether the person who hit you has insurance or not.
However, if you are not carrying collision insurance, you will be on your own when it comes to fixing your vehicle after an accident if you are not covered by UM insurance. Uninsured motorist insurance is not always required, but it is wise to carry it since it doesn't add that much to your monthly premium. The following chart lists the states with uninsured drivers' insurance requirements and indicates the type of coverage that is mandated, as of State requirements are shown for uninsured motorist, bodily injury BI , uninsured motorist property damage UMPD coverage, and underinsured motorist property damage UMIPD coverage along with required coverage limits.
Insurance mandates appear unrelated to the estimated percentage of uninsured motorists by state. Obviously, the cost will vary depending on a number of factors, including ticket history, prior claims, your credit score and policy discounts. Emmette defines the price as "nominal" and says motorists may find, as a rough estimate, it adds around five percent to an annual premium's cost. The best way to learn the cost of UM and UIM insurance is to compare car insurance quotes from several companies.
As with the other components of auto insurance, consumers can select from a variety of coverage levels. Emmette recommends consumers select an UM limit that mimics their bodily injury limit.
What's more, some insurers may limit you to UM coverage that is no greater than your other liability limits. He adds it doesn't matter the size of the court award, drivers will only be compensated by insurers up to their policy limit. Typically, UM and UIM limits are split limits written the same as your liability limits, per person and per incident. In states offering uninsured or underinsured motorist property damage coverage, consumers may have the choice to buy UM insurance as a split limit or combined single limit policy.
A hit-and-run can play out in a few different ways. Where you live will most likely determine whether or not you can use your UM insurance for hit-and-run damage. In many states you can use your UM coverage to repair your vehicle and cover your medical bills after a hit-and-run accident, however there may be a deductible that comes into play.
Check your policy or contact your agents for details regarding your specific policy. In some states, UMPD insurance cannot be used for hit-and-run accidents.
The following states will not allow drivers to use UMPD coverage for hit-and-run damage:. With stacking, you typically pay a bit more for the ability to raise your limits by the number of vehicles you have insured in your household. Jane has two cars in her household.
In general, there is no limit on the number of vehicles that can be insured and whose UMBI coverages are stacked. If you only have one car on your policy, then stacking is not an option for you, but if you have multiple vehicles, stacking can be one of the perks of multi-car insurance. If your state allows stacking, stacked car insurance is available to drivers in roughly 30 states, be aware that not all car insurance companies offer a stacking option. The process depends on your state.
Those who live in states with no-fault insurance laws may have to go to court for a judgment before they receive UM or UIM benefits. If your insurer denies your claim or fails to offer what you believe is the appropriate amount, you may be able to go to arbitration or take legal action on the matter.
Below you'll see how states rank by the percentage of uninsured motorists, according to the latest data by the IRC.
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